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I posted this in another thread I found from a search, but I think it might go amiss hidden deep in the market place.

I'd like to do some M5 thread tapping with my cordless drill. It has the option to gear-down for slower, high torque applications so seem suitable.

In this case do you think it is better to use a spiral flute bit typical of automated tapping, or just go with the usual hand-tapping bits? Maybe the best is to start by hand with a tapping bit, then switch over to a spiral flute on the drill.

If someone is kind enough to send me a little block of steel (see classifieds), I plan to make a guide to start the thread at a nice right-angle.

I broke my M5 tap doing that last night I think the problem is I need to do 16mm deep holes so even a little off-perpendicular at the start and the tap will pull itself in at an angle and break. I only had the single M5 tap though, not the 3 pieces.